Special Standards

Standard Mail Bundles of Flats on Pallets

Related QSGs

Price Eligibility Overview

Bundles of Standard Mail must be sorted and prepared under the standards for the price claimed. Prices are bundle-based. Prices are based on the preparation of mail in bundles and are not affected by the pallet on which a bundle is placed.

Prepare a bundle when there are 10 or more pieces for the same presort destination or 10 or 15 pieces as applicable to a 5-digit destination within an individual mailing. Bundles are not subject to a specific thickness limit. When there are fewer than 10 pounds for a destination, the pieces must be prepared in a single physical bundle. When there are 10 or more pounds for a destination, pieces should be prepared in bundles weighing from 10 to 20 pounds each except that the last bundle may weigh less than 10 pounds and mailers may balance the mail in bundles as follows:

The total number of physical bundles prepared for a presort destination must not exceed the number of 10-pound increments to that destination. For example, if there are 25 pounds of mail to a 3-digit ZIP Code presort destination, bundles could be prepared as (1) two 8-pound bundles and a 9-pound bundle, (2) a 12-pound bundle and a 13-pound bundle, (3) a 20-pound bundle and a 5-pound bundle, or (4) other combinations that result in no more than three bundles.

Bundles on pallets must be secure and stable and able to withstand normal transit and handling without breakage or injury to USPS employees. To prevent broken bundles, material used to secure bundles should be of adequate strength, be sealed securely (e.g., by heat or adhesive), and fit tightly around the bundles. Prepare bundles as follows:

Select one of the methods below for securing individual bundles placed on 5-digit, 3-digit, SCF, ASF, and BMC pallets:

Heavy-gauge shrinkwrap plus one or two bands.

Only heavy-gauge shrinkwrap.

Two bands, one around the length and one around the width. Use sufficient tension. Wire and metal strapping are prohibited.

Copalletized Bundles

Copalletization allows mailers to place together on pallets bundles from separate mailings that have been independently presorted in accordance with applicable standards (e.g., ECR, automation, and Presorted price mailings). Each separate mailing must separately meet the minimum volume and other requirements as set forth in 705.11.0 unless bundles are prepared under 705.11.0 (Preparation of Cobundled Price and Presorted Price Flats) mailers must bundle their mail separately according to the applicable requirements in 345.5.9 for Presort, 345.6.8 for Enhanced Carrier Route, or 345.7.0 for Automation. Copalletization requires Business Mailer Support authorization (705.8.7).

At the mailer's option, bundles of flats may be palletized using the advanced presort options in 705.10.0, 705.12.0, or 705.13.0. These presort options require PAVE-certified software.

Copalletized mailings: Bundles of Presorted price and automation price flats must be placed on separate 5-digit and 5-digit scheme (L001) pallets from ECR price bundles; bundles from ECR, automation, and Presorted price mailings may be placed together on all other remaining levels of pallets.

Bundle Preparation: See previous page for physical bundle size and securing standards. Except for 5-digit and 5-digit scheme pallets, carrier route bundles may be combined with automation and Presorted price bundles on the same pallet.

5-Digit Scheme Carrier Routes4

Required at 500 pounds. Optional at 250 pounds.

Labels: For Line 1, use L001, Column B. For Line 2, use "STD FLTS CR-RTS SCH."

5-Digit Carrier Routes4

Required at 500 pounds. Optional at 250 pounds.

Labels: For Line 1, use city, state and 5-digit ZIP Code on mail. For Line 2, use "STD FLTS CR-RTS."

5-Digit4

Required at 500 pounds. Optional at 250 pounds.

Labels: For Line 1, use city, state and 5-digit ZIP Code on mail. For Line 2, use "STD FLTS 5D" followed by "BARCODED" (or "BC") for automation price mail and/or "NONBARCODED" (or "NBC") for Presorted price mail.

Labels: For Line 1, ASF use L602. For Line 1 BMC use L601. For Line 2, use "STD FLTS" and "ASF" or "BMC" followed by "BARCODED" (or "BC") for automation price mail and/or "NONBARCODED" (or "NBC") for Presorted price mail and/or carrier.

4. Processing and Distribution managers may authorize pallets of less than 250 pounds for their service area for mailings entered within their service area only. For these destinations, one residual (overflow) pallet of less than 250 pounds may be prepared for the service area of the entry office without special approval.

5. After preparing all required pallets (and any optional pallets), when 250 or more pounds of bundles remain for a BMC/ASF, the BMC/ASF pallet must be prepared. If there are no BMC/ASF pallets in the mailing and 250 or more pounds of bundles remain for an SCF, the SCF pallet must be prepared.